Hong Kong migrants to UK will need support, ministers told
The group Hong Kongers in Britain (HKB) says migrants expect to experience difficulties finding housing and jobs and some have raised concerns they might be tracked by "informants or secret agents" from China.
HKB is urging the Home Office to show discretion to people who may have criminal records in Hong Kong as a result of taking part in pro-democracy protests.
The Home Office says at least 154,000 Hong Kong people could arrive on the British National (Overseas) visa in the first year, with between 258,000 and 322,000 arriving in Britain before 2026.
This represents about 22% of total UK immigration in the year to March 2020, before the pandemic took hold.
Source: BBC #Dec11
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55109523
#BNO #HKMigrants #UK #HongKonger
The group Hong Kongers in Britain (HKB) says migrants expect to experience difficulties finding housing and jobs and some have raised concerns they might be tracked by "informants or secret agents" from China.
HKB is urging the Home Office to show discretion to people who may have criminal records in Hong Kong as a result of taking part in pro-democracy protests.
The Home Office says at least 154,000 Hong Kong people could arrive on the British National (Overseas) visa in the first year, with between 258,000 and 322,000 arriving in Britain before 2026.
This represents about 22% of total UK immigration in the year to March 2020, before the pandemic took hold.
Source: BBC #Dec11
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55109523
#BNO #HKMigrants #UK #HongKonger
Swiss Government Exposed to Have Allowed In Chinese Agents in Secret Agreement
Source: Stand News #Dec11
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Source: Stand News #Dec11
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Swiss Government Exposed to Have Allowed In Chinese Agents in Secret Agreement
Human rights group Safeguard Defender has published a report exposing a secret agreement between the Swiss government with China allowing operations of Chinese public security agents in Switzerland. The agreement, the existence of which had been unknown to the Swiss parliament, allowed Chinese agents to enter the country in unofficial capacities and to track down and help investigate Chinese citizens that the Swiss authorities wished to expel.
According to the report, the “readmission agreement” was signed on 8 December 2015. The agreement allowed Chinese officials to enter Switzerland and to track down, investigate and question “illegal immigrants” or potential repatriates to help the Swiss authorities ascertain if the individuals were Chinese citizens.
While the agreement provided that Chinese officials could only come by the invitation of the Swiss authorities for an investigation lasting two weeks, China had full discretion in deciding in naming the agents without Switzerland’s approval. Upon arrival, the officials might be admitted in unofficial capacities with their identities and reports guaranteed secret by the Swiss authorities. They were also allowed to act freely on Swiss soil and to question up to six people every day for 10 days without being supervised by Swiss officials, meaning they could question as many as 60 people on each visit.
The annex further provided that all their travel and local expenses be covered by the Swiss authorities. Accommodation would also be arranged.
#Switzerland #China #PublicSecurityMinistry #ReadmissionAgreement #SecretAgreement #Diplomacy
Source: Stand News #Dec11
https://bit.ly/2Xatm2y
Human rights group Safeguard Defender has published a report exposing a secret agreement between the Swiss government with China allowing operations of Chinese public security agents in Switzerland. The agreement, the existence of which had been unknown to the Swiss parliament, allowed Chinese agents to enter the country in unofficial capacities and to track down and help investigate Chinese citizens that the Swiss authorities wished to expel.
According to the report, the “readmission agreement” was signed on 8 December 2015. The agreement allowed Chinese officials to enter Switzerland and to track down, investigate and question “illegal immigrants” or potential repatriates to help the Swiss authorities ascertain if the individuals were Chinese citizens.
While the agreement provided that Chinese officials could only come by the invitation of the Swiss authorities for an investigation lasting two weeks, China had full discretion in deciding in naming the agents without Switzerland’s approval. Upon arrival, the officials might be admitted in unofficial capacities with their identities and reports guaranteed secret by the Swiss authorities. They were also allowed to act freely on Swiss soil and to question up to six people every day for 10 days without being supervised by Swiss officials, meaning they could question as many as 60 people on each visit.
The annex further provided that all their travel and local expenses be covered by the Swiss authorities. Accommodation would also be arranged.
#Switzerland #China #PublicSecurityMinistry #ReadmissionAgreement #SecretAgreement #Diplomacy
Source: Stand News #Dec11
https://bit.ly/2Xatm2y
UAE Claims 86% effectiveness of Sinopharm COVID Vaccine, Experts Question Failure to Account for Clinical Test Data
Source: Stand News #Dec11
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Source: Stand News #Dec11
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UAE Claims 86% effectiveness of Sinopharm COVID Vaccine, Experts Question Failure to Account for Clinical Test Data
The UAE health authorities announced on Wednesday (Dec 9) that the Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine has been tested and confirmed to be 86% effective, making it the first country in the world to certify the effectiveness of a Chinese-made vaccine. However, some academics, holding a wait-and-see attitude, believe that the UAE authorities have not provided key and detailed information, including data from the Phase 3 clinical trials.
The UAE is one of the ten countries where two of Sinopharm’ vaccines are undergoing clinical trials. UAE indicated that it had approved an interim analysis of the vaccine’s Phase 3 clinical trial data, which showed 100% effectiveness in preventing mild symptoms from turning into moderate to severe conditions. They also claimed an overall effective protection rate of 86%, adding that the vaccine poses no serious safety concerns.
The Sinopharm Group did not confirm the news or comment to the media for several hours after UAE’s announcement. The New York Times even reported that it was disconnected when it tried to reach the group on the phone. It was only at dusk on Thursday (Dec 10) that Sinopharm uploaded its vaccine registration statement for the UAE. Still, it did not provide further data on the Phase 3 tests, such as the number of people infected with the vaccine and the volunteers’ age. The group also did not make any “welcome” remarks.
#UAE #China #Sinopharm #COVID19 #Vaccines #Trials #TestData #NewYorkTimes
Source: Stand News #Dec11
https://bit.ly/3i0j9zj
The UAE health authorities announced on Wednesday (Dec 9) that the Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine has been tested and confirmed to be 86% effective, making it the first country in the world to certify the effectiveness of a Chinese-made vaccine. However, some academics, holding a wait-and-see attitude, believe that the UAE authorities have not provided key and detailed information, including data from the Phase 3 clinical trials.
The UAE is one of the ten countries where two of Sinopharm’ vaccines are undergoing clinical trials. UAE indicated that it had approved an interim analysis of the vaccine’s Phase 3 clinical trial data, which showed 100% effectiveness in preventing mild symptoms from turning into moderate to severe conditions. They also claimed an overall effective protection rate of 86%, adding that the vaccine poses no serious safety concerns.
The Sinopharm Group did not confirm the news or comment to the media for several hours after UAE’s announcement. The New York Times even reported that it was disconnected when it tried to reach the group on the phone. It was only at dusk on Thursday (Dec 10) that Sinopharm uploaded its vaccine registration statement for the UAE. Still, it did not provide further data on the Phase 3 tests, such as the number of people infected with the vaccine and the volunteers’ age. The group also did not make any “welcome” remarks.
#UAE #China #Sinopharm #COVID19 #Vaccines #Trials #TestData #NewYorkTimes
Source: Stand News #Dec11
https://bit.ly/3i0j9zj
立場新聞 Stand News
阿聯酋宣稱中國國藥武肺疫苗 86% 有效 專家質疑未交代臨床測試數據 | 立場報道 | 立場新聞
阿聯酋衛生部門周三（9 日）宣布，指經測試證實中國國藥控股研發的武漢肺炎（COVID-19）疫苗有效率達 86...
Ex-Hong Kong lawmaker Baggio Leung flees city for Washington
Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang, 34, had "meeting with some congressmen and also some officers from the government" to ask for asylum for 2oo Hongkongers who were born after the British handover in 1997, without BN(O) passport.
In Early Dec 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to give Hong Kong residents "Temporary Protected Status," which would allow them to live and work in the U.S. for five years and is usually only issued to protect people from war-ravaged nations, such as Somalia, Syria and Yemen. The move still needs approval from the Senate.
Source: Nikkei Asia #Dec11
https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Ex-Hong-Kong-lawmaker-Baggio-Leung-flees-city-for-Washington
#HongKong #BaggioLeung #HKAsylum
Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang, 34, had "meeting with some congressmen and also some officers from the government" to ask for asylum for 2oo Hongkongers who were born after the British handover in 1997, without BN(O) passport.
In Early Dec 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to give Hong Kong residents "Temporary Protected Status," which would allow them to live and work in the U.S. for five years and is usually only issued to protect people from war-ravaged nations, such as Somalia, Syria and Yemen. The move still needs approval from the Senate.
Source: Nikkei Asia #Dec11
https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Ex-Hong-Kong-lawmaker-Baggio-Leung-flees-city-for-Washington
#HongKong #BaggioLeung #HKAsylum
Monster Hunter Movie Director Apologises for Insensitive Joke from MC Jin’s Improvised Dialogue, Deleting the Line from All International Versions
Source: Stand News #Dec11
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Source: Stand News #Dec11
Read more
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Monster Hunter Movie Director Apologises for Insensitive Joke from MC Jin’s Improvised Dialogue, Deleting the Line from All International Versions
The movie Monster Hunter was pulled from all cinemas in China after only being screened for one day, as one of the actors in the movie, MC Jin, faced backlashes for his culturally insensitive line in the movie. Following MC Jin’s apology, Paul WS Anderson, director of the movie, also issued an apology regarding the issue, promising to remove the line in all versions released around the world. Co-star Milla Jovovich mentioned that the joke was improvised by MC Jin on set. She felt that it was an unfortunate, honest mistake from MC Jin and his offense was not intentional.
According to a report on Deadline, Anderson apologised in his statement for unintentionally offending the Chinese audiences. He further stated that he was shocked and embarrassed by the incident and promised to respectfully remove the line as it was not his intention to convey a discriminatory and disrespectful message in his movie. The removal will not only be seen in the Chinese version of the movie, but also in all versions released globally.
#MonsterHunter #MCJin #PaulSWAnderson #China
Source: Stand News #Dec11
https://bit.ly/38Q06V8
The movie Monster Hunter was pulled from all cinemas in China after only being screened for one day, as one of the actors in the movie, MC Jin, faced backlashes for his culturally insensitive line in the movie. Following MC Jin’s apology, Paul WS Anderson, director of the movie, also issued an apology regarding the issue, promising to remove the line in all versions released around the world. Co-star Milla Jovovich mentioned that the joke was improvised by MC Jin on set. She felt that it was an unfortunate, honest mistake from MC Jin and his offense was not intentional.
According to a report on Deadline, Anderson apologised in his statement for unintentionally offending the Chinese audiences. He further stated that he was shocked and embarrassed by the incident and promised to respectfully remove the line as it was not his intention to convey a discriminatory and disrespectful message in his movie. The removal will not only be seen in the Chinese version of the movie, but also in all versions released globally.
#MonsterHunter #MCJin #PaulSWAnderson #China
Source: Stand News #Dec11
https://bit.ly/38Q06V8
Chinese authorities have detained a Bloomberg News journalist on suspicion of threatening national security
Chinese authorities detained Haze Fan, a staffer in the Bloomberg News office in Beijing, on suspicion of endangering national security. Fan, who is a Chinese citizen, was last seen being taken away from her apartment in Beijing by plainclothes security officials after speaking with one of her editors
Fan, who covers Chinese business-news topics for Bloomberg, started working for the publication in 2017. She previously worked for Al Jazeera, CBS News, CNBC, and Thomson Reuters.
The US and China have been imposing sanctions on each other's journalists. The US has labeled Chinese media organizations as government entities.
Source: Business Insider #Dec11
https://www.businessinsider.com/haze-fan-detained-china-bloomberg-news-beijing-national-security-2020-12
#CCP #ChinaDetainJournalist #Bloomberg
Chinese authorities detained Haze Fan, a staffer in the Bloomberg News office in Beijing, on suspicion of endangering national security. Fan, who is a Chinese citizen, was last seen being taken away from her apartment in Beijing by plainclothes security officials after speaking with one of her editors
Fan, who covers Chinese business-news topics for Bloomberg, started working for the publication in 2017. She previously worked for Al Jazeera, CBS News, CNBC, and Thomson Reuters.
The US and China have been imposing sanctions on each other's journalists. The US has labeled Chinese media organizations as government entities.
Source: Business Insider #Dec11
https://www.businessinsider.com/haze-fan-detained-china-bloomberg-news-beijing-national-security-2020-12
#CCP #ChinaDetainJournalist #Bloomberg
One year on, Wuhan market at epicentre of virus outbreak remains barricaded and empty
For over six years, 38-year-old Wuhan restaurant owner Lai Yun started most days the same way - with a trip to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, just ten minutes walk from his house.
“I’d send the kids to school, have breakfast and then walk over to the market. It was very convenient,” he said.
That changed on Dec. 31, 2019, after four cases of a mystery pneumonia were linked to the market and it was shuttered overnight. By the end of the month, the city had begun a gruelling 76-day lockdown that came with just hours notice and barred people from leaving their homes.
Source: Reuters #Dec11
https://reut.rs/2W2miVt
#Wuhan #Virus #Outbreak #Lockdown
For over six years, 38-year-old Wuhan restaurant owner Lai Yun started most days the same way - with a trip to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, just ten minutes walk from his house.
“I’d send the kids to school, have breakfast and then walk over to the market. It was very convenient,” he said.
That changed on Dec. 31, 2019, after four cases of a mystery pneumonia were linked to the market and it was shuttered overnight. By the end of the month, the city had begun a gruelling 76-day lockdown that came with just hours notice and barred people from leaving their homes.
Source: Reuters #Dec11
https://reut.rs/2W2miVt
#Wuhan #Virus #Outbreak #Lockdown
Hong Kong Singer #AnsonLo Won Best New Asian Artist Award in #MAMA2021
The 2021 Mnet Asia Music Awards (#MAMA) took place on December 11, 2021. Hong Kong singer Anson Lo, a member of the popular 12-membered boy band #MIRROR, was named by the South Korean organizer as the Best New Asian Artist Award.
Anson Lo expressed his appreciation to his supporters in Instagram. He also expressed, "I've never thought of seeing my name in the MAMA ceremony in my life." He hopes that the award can let more people know about "Hong Kong music, Hong Kong singers, and MIRROR."
Source: Stand News #Dec11
https://bit.ly/3ICbswe
#Cantopop #HongKongMusic #HongKongCulture #Music #Award #Hongkonger #AnsonLo
The 2021 Mnet Asia Music Awards (#MAMA) took place on December 11, 2021. Hong Kong singer Anson Lo, a member of the popular 12-membered boy band #MIRROR, was named by the South Korean organizer as the Best New Asian Artist Award.
Anson Lo expressed his appreciation to his supporters in Instagram. He also expressed, "I've never thought of seeing my name in the MAMA ceremony in my life." He hopes that the award can let more people know about "Hong Kong music, Hong Kong singers, and MIRROR."
Source: Stand News #Dec11
https://bit.ly/3ICbswe
#Cantopop #HongKongMusic #HongKongCulture #Music #Award #Hongkonger #AnsonLo
#GlobalSolidarity #UK
Pro-democracy #Hongkongers Rally in #Manchester: "You Can't Kill Us All"
On December 11, 2021 Hongkongers in Manchester initiated a rally in support of human rights. The rally was titled “YOU CAN’T KILL US ALL,” symbolizing the solidarity of people in pursuit of freedom and democracy despite political oppression.
The assembly was attended by around 100 participants, including the members of #AmnestyInternational, Tibetan activists, former councillors from Hong Kong and prodemocracy activists in exile.
A two-feet-tall replica of the “#PillarOfShame," commemorating the victims of the 1989 June 4th Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing, was exhibited. The original statue made by a Danish sculptor has been displayed in the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) for years. The university management's recent plan to remove the statue has sparked public outcry in Hong Kong and abroad.
Source: Harbour of Freedom #Dec11
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXMG17I8SZ/
Pro-democracy #Hongkongers Rally in #Manchester: "You Can't Kill Us All"
On December 11, 2021 Hongkongers in Manchester initiated a rally in support of human rights. The rally was titled “YOU CAN’T KILL US ALL,” symbolizing the solidarity of people in pursuit of freedom and democracy despite political oppression.
The assembly was attended by around 100 participants, including the members of #AmnestyInternational, Tibetan activists, former councillors from Hong Kong and prodemocracy activists in exile.
A two-feet-tall replica of the “#PillarOfShame," commemorating the victims of the 1989 June 4th Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing, was exhibited. The original statue made by a Danish sculptor has been displayed in the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) for years. The university management's recent plan to remove the statue has sparked public outcry in Hong Kong and abroad.
Source: Harbour of Freedom #Dec11
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXMG17I8SZ/
Why China Is Freaking Out Over Biden’s Democracy Summit
The Chinese government is furious about U.S. President Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy, and it wants the world to know.
A week before the summit was to take place, the Chinese government hastily convened its own democracy forum and published a white paper called “China: Democracy That Works,” as well as a report titled “The State of Democracy in the United States,” in which it claims to “expose the deficiencies and abuse of democracy” in the United States. These actions have been accompanied by countless articles, press conferences, and, of course, tweets about China’s “democracy” and its alleged superiority to U.S. democracy.
So why is the Chinese government reacting so strongly to Biden’s virtual summit?
Source: Foreign Policy #Dec11
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/12/10/china-response-biden-democracy-summit/
#WHO #China #Biden #Democracy
The Chinese government is furious about U.S. President Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy, and it wants the world to know.
A week before the summit was to take place, the Chinese government hastily convened its own democracy forum and published a white paper called “China: Democracy That Works,” as well as a report titled “The State of Democracy in the United States,” in which it claims to “expose the deficiencies and abuse of democracy” in the United States. These actions have been accompanied by countless articles, press conferences, and, of course, tweets about China’s “democracy” and its alleged superiority to U.S. democracy.
So why is the Chinese government reacting so strongly to Biden’s virtual summit?
Source: Foreign Policy #Dec11
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/12/10/china-response-biden-democracy-summit/
#WHO #China #Biden #Democracy